AUGUST 1997 BACK ISSUE
Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 8/1/97; 10:00:00 AM.
Swedish Horsemanship
Notes from Stefan ForsmanI was born in Sweden in 1962. I grew up in a small village with all kinds of animals. Horses, cows, sheep, chickens, etc. I was always fooling around with animals, especially horses. When I was 14 years old, other people started sending horses to me for training. I tried the conventional, traditional, normal, way of training horses for quite some time before I realized that it wasn't working very well. Sure I could get some old, crazy trotter or riding horse to slow down a bit by putting a sharper bit in their mouth's, but the horses sure weren't relaxed and they didn't travel at a slow pace for very long. They soon became immune to the sharper bit, too. Off course that was not the only problem I had, they were bucking, rearing, kicking, biting, running away, refusing to load in trailers. Well, you name it.
I understand today that it was not because we were good horseman that we sometimes managed to get a horse into a trailer. It was in spite of us. We thought we were really good with horses. I used to ask people a lot of questions in the seventies (still do). Like, why are you doing that? Why are you using that equipment? The answer was always the same (still is). We've always done it this way. My reply was (still is), yes, but I want to know why. Well, if I got an answer, it was that they where trying to force the horse with some kind of gimmick, to do what they wanted. My reply was (still is), well it doesn't work. Well we know that, but it has always been done this way and everybody else is doing the same thing. That was the answer I got back then and that is the answer I get today. Just because everybody else is doing something doesn't necessary mean that it's right. In Sweden, a lot of horses develop such serious behavioral problems that people can't really do anything with them. A lot of them end up going from owner to owner, from trainer to trainer. I read somewhere that 85% of all Swedish horses never make it. The reason why they don't make it is the conventional, traditional training. The horses simply go mad. I don't know if 85% is a correct figure, but I do know for a fact that a lot of them have severe problems.
Some people will say that the reason why a lot of the horses never make it is that they break down. Yes I know that too, a lot of them become lame, etc. But why are so many horses going lame? Well, one reason is that many horses are always tense, stiff, and nervous. The horses are also working with their bodies or body parts in the wrong position. This puts a lot of strain on the horses who, in turn, become lame as a result. Another contributory factor to why so many horses are getting hurt, and for that reason can't be ridden or driven, is that they are totally out of control. They run blindly into things, throw themselves backwards in panic when tied up or loaded onto a trailer. The ones that make it sure aren't without problems. The problems just aren't that severe, yet. They jump fences, run races, pull carts etc., etc. in spite of the handling (training) they get. I've always had my own ideas about things and especially horses (animals). I'm very particular about everything I do and especially when it comes to my horses. I've always wanted everything to be perfect and the way I want it. People have a tendency to make things so darn complicated when it actually is very simple.
Stefan Forsman * August 1997 * slaila@sn.no
SAFE AND DEPENDABLE HORSES
NOT DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN Notes from a four day course with Stefan Forsman
A horse that is trained correctly becomes safe, trusting and co-operative. Those who have a thorough knowledge of how the horse thinks, communicates and behaves, and then puts this into practice will obtain results in the form of horses that are safe, unafraid and, in addition, co-operative. It is taken for granted that a dog should be trained for both its own and its owner's benefit. For some strange reason this is seldom the case when it comes to horses. I regard as untrained, horses that will not stand still, that nudge, nip and even bite, will not be loaded into a horse box, bolt as soon as they become afraid, that tug at the reins, grab the bit, and buck and rear. Some say that such horses are spirited and happy - I believe this to be the exact opposite. It is a nervous horse that is unaware of its limits, what rules apply, or whom it should trust.
A properly formulated plan together with timing and feeling will ensure that the training given to a horse will remain with it forever. When I am asked how long the training takes my reply is always the same "It takes the time it takes, because if you take the time it takes today it will not take any time at all in the future." I believe it better to take the time and effort to get the horse well behaved, calm and reliable so that harsh aids such as sharp bits, draw reins, whips, bound tongues, etc., do not have to be used. These are often the methods used by owners of "happy and spirited" horses to try and control them. Such horses will in time become increasingly frustrated and dangerous both to themselves and all others around them. It is obvious from their behaviour that the owner is not handling the horse in the correct manner. The fault is always with the owner - never the horse! People often say that they do not have the time to go through with this training. How odd, I think to myself, since they find the time to battle with their horses each and every time they want to load them onto a horse trailer, catch them, shoe them, saddle them, etc.
There are three elements in the basic training of the horse: Leadership, Consistency, Comfort Zone
Leadership
The horse is a herd animal whose first form of defence is flight. In the wild the herd always has a leader, and contrary to popular belief this is an old mare and not a stallion. She is experienced when it comes to grazing, watering holes and predators, and, hence, when and where flight is necessary. Flight always requires energy and if this can be avoided so much the better. The herd always look to the leader to see whether flight is necessary or not. The whole herd has a natural and instinctive respect for the lead mare. When man removes the horse from the herd he takes away the horse's natural leader, thereby making him wary and unsure. Depending on character and past experiences the horse will become, to a greater or lesser extent, nervous. If man can communicate with the horse in the only way the horse understands - using body language - that he is taking over the role of leader, then the horse can once again relax and flight no longer becomes necessary. So, as long as man (using his body) can communicate that everything is as it should be, then the horse will remain calm and relaxed.
Consistency
Only by being 100% consistent in all you do with the horse can it relax totally in your company and know exactly what to expect. Likewise, only by being absolutely consistent can you expect the horse to understand you. After all he does not speak your language - only "horse-body" language! You must teach yourself how to communicate to the horse which rules apply in your relationship. You cannot sometimes allow the horse to nudge you just "a little bit" because it is "nice" and then later become angry because it is nudging you too hard! You cannot let it nibble the sleeve of your jacket one day and then shout at it the next when it bites a piece out of the material. The horse does not understand "degrees" of any kind. Therefore, do not let it nudge, nip or bite you at all - this is both the best and safest approach for you and the horse. If you for example decide that "whoa" means "stop" then it must always only mean "stop" - never, for example, "slow down". Always, on every occasion without exception - however long it may take - every word and every action must mean exactly the same. If you have given the command "whoa", do nothing else until the horse has stopped and stands still. Always!
Comfort Zone
At the split second the horse responds to your stimuli to do or not to do something, stop immediately. This is the reward for a correct response. You stop squeezing, stop kissing, slacken the lead rope or whatever it was you were doing, the same split second and not a moment later. Always be consistent! For example when you pull on the lead rope to make the horse move, at the first indication of movement forwards slacken the rope, at once, every time. Very soon the horse will want to do what you require so that it avoids the tight rope, the pressure from the legs, your kissing, etc. In the end the horse will become so sensitive to your commands that it is virtually enough to "think" about what you are going to do. The horse will feel your thoughts through your body before you have had time to apply any aids.
This is how simple it is in theory to lay the foundation for a perfect relationship between man and horse. Next month, practical applications like leading, hobbling and the round paddock, will be discussed.
Stefan Forsman
